Improvement in tools for cutting off auger-stems in oil-wells



JAMES H. LUTHER, OF -PETROLEUM CENTRE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters lPatent No. 111,221, dated January 24, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT iN TooLs Fou cu'rTl-N'e oFFAueER-STEMS IN olL-wl-:LL-s.

The Schedule referred to in these. Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom 'it may concern: Be it known that'I, JAMES H. LUTHER, of Petroleum Centre, in the county of Venango and Stateof Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and use# ful Improvements in Tools for Cutting Ott kugel- Stems, &c., in Oil-Vells; Aand I do hereby declare that the following is a full and' exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this application.

My invention has for lits object the production vof a tool for cutting off auger-stems in-oil-wells, and coni4 sists ina hollow tool adapted to be passed over and around the stem to be cut, and so yconstructed as to have `the cutters pressed against the stem' bythe contact of the bottom of? the tool with any resistinging object, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

Itis well known that, in the boring ol' oil and other wells, the tools employed often become stuck, and 4are incapable of beingdrawn out at all, or else, in the attempt to do so, are broken oli, and, in either case, have to be cut and taken out aboveethe obstruction, and then the obstruction removed andjthe balance removed. The means heretofore employed have 1 been primitive and ineffectual. By the use of a tool embracing the features of my invention I am enabled to accomplish the ends successfully;

Toenable others skilled to make and use my improved tool, I willproceed to describe the construction and operation of the same, referring by letters to the accompanying drawing, in which` Figure l is a centralvertical section, showing lo-V cated within the tool an ordinary piece of pipe land the parts in position as they would be during the descent of the tool within the well; 'I

Figure 2 is a similar section, showing the position of the parts during the cutting operation; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the press- Similar letters ot' 'reference denote like parts'inthe several views. Y 4

A` is a hollowtube or cylinder, having a screwthread, at a, for connecting it with the power-shaft;

it has,' at its lower extremity, also, a screw-threadfor.'

retaining a collar or nut,v B.

Near the top of this tube four or more equal numbers of slots, l), are cut entirely through, in which -pivoted two presscrs and two cutters, the former rep; resented by. e and the latterv by c', (being opposite to each other or in the same diameter.)

C is a collar, having-its upper end C of about the same diameter as the borek of the tube A, and its lower end enlarged `to something more than the outside diameter of the tube. These enlargementsare made by securing rings to the solidcentral portion, so thatsqnare shoulders are left, as seen. The lower `o ne'is secured by means of a screw-thread, s0. that the collar may be placed in position within the nut B, where lit is free to move vertically, and prevented from dropping outby the shoulder formed at the upper end. The bottom of this collar is beveled in wardly to guide the tool over the end of the stem to be'cut.

. \Vithin the tube Aand above the collar G, are 'arranged two 'or more loose rings, (three being shown.) The upper one D has its face reamed out toward the center, at anangle corresponding to the backs of .the

cutters and pressers', which 4are beveled.

E and F are friction-rings, which relieve 'the upper ring D from too much wear during the revolution of the tool'. e A

The pressersare located directly opposite the cutters, and serve to support the stem centrally while it is being cut by the cutters.

' G is an ordinary'pieee of piping or'a round rod, enlarged at is top, (to prevent its dropping through,) and intended to prevent the inward movement of the cutters and pressers until the proper time.

H,'in g. 2, is intended to represent arranger-stem being operated upon.

The.,operation of my improved tool is as follows: .The partsbeing in position shown at iig. 1, with vthe piece of pipe or rodbetween the points of the pressers and'outters, and the collar C resting upon the nut B, and the rings D, E, and F on top of the eollar, ,the tool is lowered by sections of the driving- ,shaft being added. When 'the top end of the'stem to'be cutis4 reached, it strikes the flared bottoni of the collar C, and vis guidedl to its center and passes within its bore, coming in contact with the rod or piece of pipe, which it forces up out of the way, and passes in betweenthe points of the pressers and cutters, vand the tool continues to descend until it meets an obstruction, when the collar G isforced up, -and in turn carrying up the rings 'D E F, the former having its inclined face .forced up behind or against the backs of the cutters and pressers, and thus forcing them inwardlytoward the stem to becut. The weight is new partial-ly removed to prevent too great a pressure against the cutters, and the tool revolved, when the cutters begin their work and continue 'while the weight is gradually allowed to force them in until the stem is cutsuihciently far throughto admitv of its beingl easily wrenched or pulled in twain. g

Ifthe rst obstruction met should be above the bottomof the well, the-tool and the piece cut oft' are removed, and a Spud sent down and the obstruction my improved tool,

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secnrebyLetf ters Patent, is

The cutter-cylinder or tube A, provided with the internally-arranged cutters and presser-s C G and retaining-nut B, in Combination with the rings D E I" and collar G, all constructed and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

Witness my haud .and seal to theforegoing specification this 9th day of.'J11ne, A. D. 1870.

J. H. LUTHER. q[11. s.],- Witnesses WM. O. MCINTIRE, 'l H. SYPHERD. 

